About
Dataminr is a revolutionary data aggregation and dissemination service which has built a global sensor network powered by Twitter. Its real-time engine tracking can act as an early warning system for both enterprise and government customers. Dataminr can absorb and merge third-party information or a client’s proprietary data to add context and harvest insights geared specifically towards the client’s interests, which then can be bolstered by their own data. Dataminr has already attracted the interest of three of the top five investment banks, several government entities, and a number of hedge funds; a list that continues growing.
Thesis
Dataminr is at the forefront of the “Big Data” movement, focused on unlocking value from real-time Twitter data and uncovering market insights in a way that was never possible before.
People
Ted Bailey is Dataminr’s CEO. A graduate of Yale, he was previously with Massify.com and The Advertising Council.
Key Board Members:
- Steve Ross (MIT)
- Franco Modigliani (Professor of Financial Economics)
- Stephen Dow (Chairman of Citrix)
Management Team
- Jeffrey Kinsey, Co-Founder + CTO
- Majored in Computer Science at Yale University
- Peter Bailey, Director of Business Development
- Previously with International Creative Management; graduated from Harvard, with an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business
Product
Dataminr combs through over 340 million daily “tweets” on Twitter. Its algorithms quickly seize on abnormal and actionable signals that can be analyzed and confirmed as a relevant event for a client. For example, Dataminr reported to its clients that Osama bin Laden had been killed 23 minutes before any mainstream news outlet reported it. Dataminr was able to discover and verify this information based on only 19 tweets, allowing clients to respond before there were any movements in S&P futures correlated with his death. Dataminr’s relationship with Twitter has resulted in it being granted complete access to Twitter’s “firehose”—the entirety of all of its tweets.
Potential
Dataminr’s potential is virtually limitless as it redefines what “breaking news” means. We believe that Dataminr has enormous potential in the finance industry with applications to both hedge funds and investment banks, where the Beta version of Dataminr is currently being tested. Government agencies have also already begun to subscribe. We also see enormous opportunities surrounding “real-time” constituent polling for elections. Collectively, these industries will be forced to subscribe to Dataminr in a form of the “prisoners dilemma,” in order to remain competitive.
Megatrends
- Brands
- Knowledge Economy
- Internet
- Demographics
- Convergence
How Big Can This Be?
We believe the potential for Dataminr is almost “limitless” because of the many applications suggested by its technology gathering capabilities. Dataminr provides an unmatched, highly accurate service at a reasonable price.
Predictability
Dataminr will continue to rapidly build its customer base, particularly expanding upon the number of governmental, political and financial clients. Data will only become more valuable in the future, making Dataminr a potentially groundbreaking firm.
Risks
Dataminr is currently reliant on Twitter’s so-called firehose, making that relationship’s stability critical to Dataminr’s success.
